


Sunday Cravings

by FFanon



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Cravings, F/M, Frank's her neighbor not her baby daddy, Friendship, Pregnancy, Pregnant!Karen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 08:45:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15578106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FFanon/pseuds/FFanon
Summary: A pregnant Karen’s cravings cause an odd request for her new neighbor





	Sunday Cravings

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this tumblr post

It was early on a Sunday when Karen was sitting at her small kitchen table, one hand smoothing over her cute four-month pregnant belly, reading a magazine as she waited for her muffins to be done baking.  She had her little radio on low, just for some background noise, and quietly hummed along as the smell of fresh blueberry muffins wafted from her oven.  

 

Outside her apartment door, there seemed to be more foot traffic than normal for a Sunday morning. The sound of heavy footfalls on the stairs, both coming and going, was seemingly constant.  The door of the vacant apartment across the hall was consistently being opened and closed.  Finally, the realization hits her – a new neighbor.  

 

Always the nosy one, Karen stands up and tiptoes to her front door, closing one eye to get a good look out the peephole.  She has to wait a few seconds before the heavy footfalls start echoing in the building again and rising from the stairwell comes a handsome man holding two cardboard boxes piled on top of one another.  She swears his biceps are about the size of her baby bump and when he turns to enter his new apartment, the broadness of his back actually makes her knees weak a bit. Pregnancy hormones make any arousal feel ten times more powerful and she feels her face instantly get warm. 

 

As she watches the attractive, obviously strong, man exit his place, the timer she set for her muffins goes off.  With the thin walls of this place, the sound causes the man’s head to turn towards her door. At that, Karen jumps back with a small gasp, stupidly worried that he somehow could see her watching him.  She shakes her head at her silliness before grabbing her oven mitt.

—

At the sound of the shrill timer, Frank turned his head towards the location of the sound.  The only thing he saw was a shadow under the door suddenly disappear.

—

That evening, every single take out menu she has stashed in her place is laid out on her kitchen table. The way she stares and scrutinizes each one, one would think she was trying to solve some impossible puzzle instead of just trying to simply figure out what she was in the mood for.  

 

The Vietnamese place was always a favorite, but ever since she got pregnant, it gives her horrible heartburn.  Pizza just seemed too…boring tonight.  The Asian Fusion restaurant was a possibility, she was looking for a little flair for tonight’s dinner for some reason.  

 

She takes a seat with a huff, unsure of what she wants despite being so hungry right now.  As her eyes flicker from menu to menu again, she catches the scent of something so delicious.  Closing her eyes, she inhales deep as the scent of spices and sausage cloud her senses in an instant.

 

That’s it, that’s what she wants to eat tonight.  Whatever dish smells this wonderful, she needs that for her dinner right now. 

 

Slowly standing up, she follows the scent right out into the hallway only to find herself not having to go very far when the scent takes her to the door across the hall. 

 

Her handsome new neighbor’s door. 

 

She stands there for longer than is appropriate as she continues to just smell the air permeating from the apartment, indulging in the gloriousness of this perfectly exotic dish that is hitting all the right spots for her cravings at the moment.

 

Her stomach grumbles which makes her smile because she always imagines it’s her baby expressing its frustration at her for not feeding it. 

 

She eyes the door for a few more seconds, contemplating in her head if she should do what she really wants to do right now.  Siding with her cravings on this one, she heads back to her place and grabs one of her plates.

 

She glances down at her body for a once over.  Pink fuzzy slippers, dark grey leggings, and an over-sized t-shirt she stole from an ex-boyfriend.  Her hair is tossed over her should in a loose braid and she just washed her face about twenty minutes ago.  Clearly, she wishes she looked so much better meeting her attractive neighbor for the first time, but her baby wants what her baby wants.  

 

She makes her way back across the hall, empty plate in hand, and takes a deep breath before giving a few quick knocks on his door.

 

In just a few short seconds it opens.

 

My god, is he more gorgeous up close.  His eyes are such a deep, lovely brown and his nose may be a bit big but it suits his face oh so well.  He’s changed from that t-shirt he had on earlier to a navy Henley that is allowing her to catch the smallest of peeks at his chest which she can tell is as hard as the floor she’s standing on.  

 

Draped over his shoulder is a dish towel, which means he’s cooking whatever has got her salivating.

 

“Hi, I’m Karen,” she says a bit embarrassed but with a cute grin and a small wave.

 

Frank quickly takes her in, noticing the pregnant belly, and raises an eyebrow at this unexpected visit. The door across the hall is still open which leads him to believe this is his neighbor who was watching him earlier.

 

She looks completely adorable and he can’t stop the corner of his mouth from pulling up into a tiny smirk, “Hi Karen, I’m Frank,” he amuses with a polite nod and stands fully in his doorway with his arms crossed against his chest.

 

Those damn biceps again, she thinks to herself as she glances at them. A glance that Frank catches and makes him feel prouder than he should.

 

“I noticed you just moved in…,” she starts with a light tone to her voice, as if leading to something further he notices, “…Welcome.”

 

“Thank you,” he says, amusement in his eyes as he waits to see what this is really about.  

 

“I’m so sorry to intrude like this and I swear I don’t usually go around begging for food or anything,” she blushes, then rubs her swollen tummy, “But this little one causes me cravings that are very hard to ignore and whatever you have cooking in there smells insanely good right now.  Is there any possible chance, I could bother you for a helping?”  She’s so embarrassed that her words come out quickly and her cheeks turn pink. 

  

A lovely smile appears on his face as a gruff chuckle leaves his lips, “This is definitely a first and it explains the empty plate you’re holding.”

 

At his reaction, Karen relaxes some and gives a little laugh too, “Well I figured if I was going to bother you, I should at least bring my own dishware.”

 

He turns back towards his apartment, before quickly stopping to turn to look at her again, “There’s shrimp in it, that okay for you?”

 

“Oh yeah, shrimp is totally fine,” she says with some excitement at the fact that he’s going to actually give her some.

 

With a nod, he enters his apartment, leaving the door open signaling for her to follow.  She follows his strong back into his small kitchen where he has a large deep pan filled with rice, sausage, and shrimp.  A wall of that delicious smell has her humming which makes him look at her with amusement.  

 

“Sorry,” she says when she realizes she made the noise out loud.  

 

“Nah, I appreciate that you enjoy my cooking so much.  Just hope the taste lives up to the smell for you,” he motions for her plate which she hands over.

  

As Frank plates the food, “It’s Shrimp and Chorizo Paella.  Marine buddy of mine gave me the recipe after his wife made it once for the lot of us.”

 

“You seem like you’d be military,” she says casually as her eyes watch the food being transferred.  The fact that she says it without hesitation doesn’t dawn on her, at how comfortable she already feels with this stranger.

 

Frank snorts at that, “Oh yeah? Why’s that?”  He hands her the plate now filled with the paella.

 

Karen lifts the plate to her nose and smells it again, unable to help herself. Looking at him, “You just have this stoic, strong presence about you.  It’s…comforting, actually,” she admits.  

 

His eyes soften at that, she notices it too, and he just gives a shy nod at her words.  He can’t help but notice she doesn’t have a wedding ring on, but he also knows that some pregnant women’s hands get swollen, so it doesn’t mean much. So, he decides to find out another way.

 

“You, uh, you want me to give you another plate? For your husband?”

 

Karen doesn’t pick up on his intentions, just simply shakes her head, “Oh no, it’s just the two of us, but thank you,” she gives him a sincere smile. 

 

That answer only makes him more intrigued about her story, but he also knows he can’t go prying like that after just meeting someone. Instead Frank picks up the single fork he had washed and cleaned just for his dinner tonight, not caring to unpack too much else today, and hands it to her.  She gives him a questioning look.

 

“With all due respect, you’re practically drooling and I’ll be damned if after this I don’t get to find out if you like it.”

 

Shyly but with a laugh, she goes to take the fork but Frank pulls it back to add, “But be honest.  If you hate it, I’ll try to the tweak the recipe, deal?”

 

“Deal,” she smirks and takes the offered utensil.

 

Frank leans back against the counter top, arms folded across his chest again, and watches as she pierces a slice of chorizo and a shrimp before scooping some rice too to put into her mouth.  The second she chews it, her eyes close and her shoulders drop and he has to fight back the huge grin he wants to give.  

 

Those beautiful blue eyes of her open to find his.  She keeps chewing, but says through her semi-closed mouth, “Frank, this is…just perfect. Better than I could have imagined.”

 

“Yeah? Good,” he stands up and grabs another fork from a nearby box, washing it clean.  He speaks over his shoulder as he dries it, “If it’s just you two, you’re more than welcome to stay and eat here.”

 

She swallows her bite of food and looks around his bare apartment before looking at him with a grin, “You don’t have a table.”

 

Frank looks around and laughs, “Yeah, you’re right.  Guess you kind of need that to invite people to stay, huh?” looking to her.

 

“Well I have one, so if you want to grab that pan and follow me, you’re more than welcome,” she gestures to the stove with her chin. 

 

“You using me for my cooking, Karen?” he playfully narrows his stare.

 

“For now,” she winks and then silently chastises herself for being anywhere near being flirty with him. She’s a mother now and it’s just not the right time for any of that.  Besides, no man would want to get involved with a single pregnant woman, so why embarrass herself further.

 

But Frank laughs all the same, “Fair enough.  I like honesty,” and he places his fork onto his empty plate, picking it up with one hand as he grabs the pan of food with his other.”

 

Karen takes another bite and again, muffles through chewing, “This is really very kind of you, thank you,” she leads the way to the hallway, closing his door for him on the way out.

 

“Nah, my pleasure. I’m honored you enjoyed the smell enough to even ask.”

 

She glances at him from under her lashes as she blushes again while taking another bite.  Quickly she chews and swallows it as they head to her apartment, “I don’t cook much, but I do bake a lot.  You like blueberry muffins?”

 

“Love ‘em,” he nods and follows her into her apartment.

 

Karen stands by her open door, watching as Frank places the pan on her stove before glancing around her little home.

 

“Perfect,” she smiles, “I think this may be the start of a very delicious friendship,” she quips before closing her door.  


End file.
